0.75 liter

A Pinot Grigio with ambition and from one of the estate's best vineyards. The wine comes from the eponymous Zuc di Volpe hill in Togliano, whose clay and limestone soils, combined with consistent manual harvesting and low yields, provide the basis for this cru-worthy Pinot Grigio. Matured in stainless steel with extended maturation on the fine lees, the wine is light golden yellow in colour with a slightly coppery sheen in the glass – a subtle hint of the natural pigmentation of the grape variety. Yellow pear, some ripe quince, white almonds and a hint of hay flower on the nose. Surprisingly structured on the palate, with mineral tension, good depth and a fine salty vein. A delicate phenolic note on the finish gives the wine grip and length.

In 1961, Guido Berlucchi and the young Oenologist Franco Ziliani made history: the first ever Franciacorta was created in Borgonato di Corte Franca. This pioneering spirit became an institution and in 2022 the Gambero Rosso named the winery Winery of the Year. The Cuvée Imperiale combines Chardonnay (90%) and Pinot Nero (10%) from the best vineyards in all 19 Franciacorta municipalities. Gentle pressing, fermentation in stainless steel, followed by blending in spring with 10% reserve wines from the best vintages. The wine matures on the lees for at least 18 months, followed by a further two months after disgorgement. Pale straw yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The bouquet reveals ripe fruit, white flowers and fine yeast notes with a hint of bread crust. On the palate: precise, full-bodied, with lively acidity and fine perlage. A versatile classic – perfect as an aperitif, with seafood or white meat. SUPERIORE.DE

Foscarino from vines over 40 years old is matured for 12 months on the fine lees in used barrique barrels and stainless steel and is probably one of the most complex Soave Classico wines we have ever tasted. Bright straw yellow in colour with golden reflections. Elegant, inviting bouquet of light honey, dried citrus fruit, exotic flowers and a hint of ginger. Juicy and straightforward on the palate of layered stone fruit, precise and with piquant acidity, all proportions are impressively right here. Complex and multi-layered, it reveals new impressions with every glass and increasing aeration and ends in a salty finish, very exciting! SUPERIORE.DE

Produced in just 6,000 bottles per vintage, Godenza from the vineyard of the same name undergoes spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by temperature-controlled maceration in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation, it then matures for 12 months in cement vats and at least 9 months in the bottle. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, it is characterised by its complex and open bouquet with aromas of small red berries and spices. On the palate, it is firm and clear with a wonderful balance between acidity and ripe flavours and has a very respectable, slightly salty and spicy finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Pietrabianca offers a contrast between richness and freshness and seduces with a blend of white flowers, almond paste, wet stone and crushed red pears. Silky and supple, it caresses the palate with an elegant wave of ripe peach and nectarine. Lingers long, leaving a mineral and acidic tension as notes of candied lime fade. Not only is it stunning today, but it has a bright future. SUPERIORE.DE

At Podere le Ripi, the grapes for the Rosso di Montalcino are given more time in the cellar than elsewhere, making the wine more similar to a Brunello than a Rosso. Deep ruby red in colour with orange reflections. A captivating symphony of aromas on the nose, ranging from cherry, strawberry and violet to fresh balsamic herbs. On the palate, an impressive, broad structure, beautifully interwoven primary and secondary flavours, a fine minerality and a remarkably long finish. The longer ageing period really pays off! SUPERIORE.DE

One of Piedmont's most enigmatic grape varieties grows in a plot in the centre of the legendary Bricco Boschis: Freisa – nebbiolo's wild relative and, according to DNA studies, possibly even its genetic mother. Its name is derived from the Latin "fresia" for strawberry, which already hints at its aromatic signature. Native to the Piedmont hills since the Middle Ages, it was long considered too rustic – until producers like Cavallotto discovered its true elegance. The 2023 undergoes traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts and 3–5-day skin maceration, followed by 12 months–15 months of ageing in Slavonian oak barrels and six months of bottle ageing.

Sauvignon Blanc Praesulis unfolds in the glass with hints of spicy herbs and lemon peel, accompanied by gooseberries, grapefruit and elderberries. Soothingly smooth and with a pleasant inner sweetness, it blends candied lemon with sour melon and lively acidity to create a bold but juicy style on the palate. It finishes with vibrant tension and decent length, leaving behind concentrated citrus and pretty inner flowers. Wonderfully elegant and balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

Two names characterise this Riserva: Il Corno and Poggio Selvale. The Sangiovese grapes from which Castello di Radda creates its classic Riserva style come from these two top vineyards, situated between 350 and 450 metres above sea level. The clayey-calcareous soils with their high proportion of Galestro and Alberese – the characteristic limestone slate of the region – give the wine mineral depth and structural complexity. In this coolest zone of the Chianti Classico, where dense forests surround the vineyards and the temperature fluctuations between day and night are particularly pronounced, the Sangiovese reveals its most elegant side. After manual harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and fermented in 50-hectolitre stainless steel tanks. Maceration on the skins lasts three to four weeks – a luxury that only fully ripe grapes from top vineyards allow. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood before the wine begins its 20-month maturation: in French second and third passage tonneaux and in 20-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels. A nine-month bottle maturation completes the development.

Wonderful, deep aroma of dark wild cherries, crushed raspberries, pomegranate, roses and peppery herbs. Dense but not heavy on the palate, long and pure with multi-layered subtle fruit flavours. Salty minerals and violet blossom emerge on the finish, along with nuanced tannins that create a classically dry feel on the elegant finish. This wine is already an absolute pleasure to drink, and although it tastes great now, it will continue to refine in the bottle for several years. A sensual and enjoyable wine, 60 per cent Nero d'Avola from oak barrels and 40 per cent Frappato matured in a vitrified cement vat. SUPERIORE.DE

Chardonnay doesn't really need an origin. The world drinks it everywhere, it adapts, it works. This is precisely its problem – and this is exactly where it so often fails. Those who grow it in the Aosta Valley, on granite moraine between 600 and 800 metres above sea level, with short summers, long winters and temperatures that drop to extremes at night, ask a different question: what happens to this variety when the mountain has the last word?

In 2017, Stefano Pola was proposed to plant a vineyard in the heart of the beautiful area of the Belluno Dolomites, more precisely about 9 hectares in the Valbelluna area on a well-exposed high plateau at about 650 metres above sea level. The soil here is medium-heavy with calcareous deposits typical of mountain regions. Some layers contain solidified sands that form sandstone, and in other areas marls, i.e. old clays, are exposed. The soil structure is very stony, which provides good drainage and aeration conditions. The high lime content gives the wines a distinct olfactory finesse.

This single-varietal Malvasia is a reference in the Collio every year. Elegant aromas of white peach, jasmine, magnolia, crushed rock and fresh herbs pour from the glass with every sip. On the palate, pine and fresh herbs combine with fresh apples and apricots, with layers upon layers of ever-evolving flavours. Great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

In addition to his Friulano vineyards, Dario Raccaro has been cultivating a small vineyard planted with 100% Guyot Pinot Gris vines for many years. Since the 2022 vintage, he has been selling just 2,000 bottles of this fine wine and we are delighted to have received an allocation. Pale straw yellow in colour, with a fine, floral bouquet with traces of flint and white smoke. Well-structured on the fresh palate, soft and flowing, very velvety and deep at the same time, a masterful interpretation of Pinot Gris! SUPERIORE.DE

Probably the most precise expression of Sauvignon Bianco, which Volpe Pasini vinifies year after year, comes from the privileged single vineyard Zuc di Volpe. At high altitude near Togliano, on marl and calcareous flysch soils, the grape variety achieves a rare balance of aromatic richness, vibrant freshness and elegant texture. 2023 was a challenging but ultimately harmonious vintage: a cool spring and changeable weather until July demanded a great deal of sensitivity, but the stable, mild late summer produced concentrated, expressive grapes with a perfect acid structure. The wine is aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks and matures for several months on the fine lees, which gives it additional depth and balance.

Friuli is white wine country. We know that. What is easy to forget: Schiopetto has also been making red wines since 1968 – and with a consistency that excludes any chance. Rivarossa is the name of a cadastral parcel on the company's own vineyards, whose clayey, loamy soil is fundamentally different from the Ponca hills of the whites. Different soil, different logic, different wine. 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon – separate vinification of both varieties, fermentation in wooden barrels for ten to fifteen days at 25 degrees, followed by fourteen months of ageing in barriques and Liters oak barrels.

There are wines whose labels do not tell the whole truth. Bricco Ravera is labelled "Langhe Nebbiolo", but in reality it is Barolo in every respect – except for the name. The grapes come from the Ravera vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, one of the most prestigious single vineyards in the Barolo region, where Pecchenino has owned plots since the early 2000s. A complicated dispute over appellation rights meant that this wine had to be marketed under the less restrictive Langhe DOC – a bureaucratic detail that nevertheless works in the favour of the connoisseur: Barolo quality at a Langhe price. The vineyards are located in the hamlet of San Giuseppe near the Pecchenino family's Barolo winery. The chalky, clayey soils with a southern and south-western exposure offer ideal conditions for Nebbiolo, the capricious, late-ripening grape variety that develops its full aromatic complexity here. After alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine remains in contact with the skins for a prolonged post-maceration before being racked. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, where it develops the structure and depth that distinguishes it from simpler Langhe wines.

The grapes for this Supertuscan come from the San Giovanni vineyard near San Giovanni a Cerreto. In the church next to the vineyard there is a painting by Rutilo Manetti depicting St John the Baptist (San Giovanni). Deep ruby red, youthful, rich, dark fruit, berry and cassis flavours meld with French oak. On the palate with deep, subtle fruit flavours and an excellent balance of fruit and tannin, plus some smoke, liquorice and tar. A rich but not too heavy red with excellent structure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE